Faith, hope and love sustained the Gengel family through tragedy

For 39 days we felt the faith, hope and love from our entire community and country. Our hearts are broken with the loss of our beautiful Britney, but our souls have been filled with love and support from all of you and we are forever grateful. We want to thank those that have helped us through the 39 days of our living hell. A special thanks to our family and friends who never left our side and are a constant source of support. We would also like to thank the following: St. Patrick’s Church and all those that coordinated and attended the vigil for Britney while we were in Florida. To all the volunteers who made the yellow ribbons, pins and necklaces that were distributed to show support for our Britney, and for all those that have cooked and/or baked for us.

The outpouring of love and support at the wake and funeral were overwhelming and we could not have gotten through it without the help and guidance of Rick and Bev Mansfield of Miles Funeral Home and their wonderful staff. Heartfelt thank you’s to the entire Holden Police and Fire Departments led by Chiefs George Sherrill and John Chandler; thank you to the CERT team and DPW of Holden; City of Worcester’s Deputy Police Chief Ed McGinn, Captain Jack Harrington and the entire Traffic and Impact divisions. Colonel Marian McGovern, Major Sean Baxter and Lieutenant James Murphy of the Massachusetts State Police; Sheriff Guy Glodis and the Worcester Country Sheriff’s Department. The Paxton and Princeton police departments, and a special thank you to Chief Joe Baril and the entire Rutland Police Department for all they did and continue to do for us.

Thank you, also, to Thomas Nerbonne, director, and the Wachusett Honors Choir, who practiced during school vacation week to learn “We are the World” and performed it fabulously, McCarthy Bus Lines, Photography of Kenneth Parker, Steiner Signs, Wachusett Area Rotary Club, Bagel Inn, Sandwich Co., Holden McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Big Y Foods, Leahy Excavating Company, Walgreens of Holden, Damon House and to all the local businesses and residents around Miles Funeral Home. A sincere thank you to Gus Giordano and Alex Barbosa of Lucianos Cotton Club at Union Station, who did an incredible job coordinating and feeding more than 500 people and did it with such beauty, grace and elegance.

We would have not been able to get through this difficult time if we didn’t have our faith in God. So to Father John Madden and to everyone at St. John’s Church, Bishop Riley and Bishop McManus, we are forever grateful for their love and support. Thank you to Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, Congressman Jim McGovern, Rep. Lew Evangelidis, Mayor Joe O’Brien, Lt. Governor Tim Murray and especially Senator Steve Brewer, who all advocated and supported us in bringing our daughter home for a proper burial.

We are continuing to pray for all the students, faculty and staff so that they can begin, with us, the healing process. Len and Cherylann GengelWatson DriveRutland